At a nearby table sat a silent figure dusting off a manuscript. Ibis-headed, androgynous, dressed in a kilt, and wearing a sad expression, the creature sighed as it worked. Escalla and Henry both stared at the creature for a long, quiet moment. The faerie slapped Jus on the shoulder and sent him on his way.
"Here we go! Jus, hold the fort! We'll be with you in a minute."
Enemies were thundering down the corridor that led into the room. The Justicar tied Cinders tight about his helm then strode forward, swinging Benelux in his hand. The sword was definitely not happy.
Sir Justicar, I must protest! Can we not try reasoning with these creatures? These are worshipers of truth and knowledge!
"If they're so knowledgeable, they should know when to shut up and run."
Sir, I really must ask you to consider limiting the scale of this conflict!
The Justicar planted his back against a huge shelf and heaved. His muscles bunched as his enormous bulk slowly pushed the shelf with its great load of books over, and the whole mass came crashing down to block the corridor. The first enemies tried jamming their way through the gaps, and Jus shoved them backward using a huge shelf board as a battering ram.
Over at the work tables, Henry and Escalla softly approached the ibis creature that was cleaning its book. Escalla took the polymorph spell off Henry and returned him to his usual self. They both edged up to the table, watching the sad creature at its work.
"Enid?"
The ibis-headed being blinked and looked up at them. It had Enid's eyes-honest and always a little shy, but no spark of recognition came until her gaze lingered on Henry. She hesitated, then nervously turned away.
"I'm not allowed to help you. You have to see a supervisor. We're not allowed to help people."
"No. We're here to help you." Escalla spoke with infinite kindness. "Do you know us at all? Have you seen us before?"
"No." The creature shrugged then looked down unhappily at the table. "I… perhaps. We're not allowed to remember."
"I know." Escalla uncorked the big brass jar. "Here. We brought you something."
"Oh! Oh, no." The ibis head looked away. "I am not allowed to drink now. No food or drink until I make my quota."
"No-no-no! It's hoopy! This time you're allowed." The faerie gently turned the ibis's beak toward her. "Listen. Thoth said his afterlife arrangements suck and that we should come here and deal with it. So we have a drink for you."
The creature looked anxiously at the brass jar. Henry's hands shook, and his face was sick with love. The ibis head looked from Henry to the faerie to the jar of water.
"I could get into trouble. How do I know I'm really supposed to drink this?"
"Trust me!" Escalla opened her hands, the very image of pure innocence. "I'm a faerie!"
The words made the creature jerk. It stared at Escalla in wonder, then slowly held out its hands. Henry passed her his brass jug. The contents smelled unpleasantly of river water.
The ibis creature hesitated. Henry kept his hands hovering anxiously beneath the jug, and then the ibis head drank. It dipped its beak, drank slowly and deeply, and withdrew its dripping bill and stared into the air.
"Water from the river Mnemos," Escalla said. They had been gathered at vast expense and danger and effort from the wildest places of the outer planes-all to be brought here, for this perfect moment.
Enid turned her ibis beak and looked at her friends, her heart hammering. Her eyes seemed to clear. She saw Escalla sitting beside her and started to cry.
"Escalla…" Enid held the faerie against her heart and closed her eyes. "Oh, Escalla!"
"Hey! We've got a wedding. Can't have a wedding without my bridesmaid." Escalla cried wiping her own eyes. "It's all right. We got here. It's all right now."
Enid saw Henry and found herself in his arms.
"Henry! Henry!"
They cried. They kissed as best human and ibis could. Escalla sat a little distance away and let the lovers have their moment, and she wept like a babe. With a great wet sniff, she turned.
The Justicar and Cinders had set their barricade on fire and were striding to meet their friends. Enid held Jus tight, closed fingers in Cinders's fur as the hell hound jumped about and wagged his tail.
"Cinders!"
Hello, cat lady!
Polk waved.
"How?" Enid looked at them all in lost wonder, unable to stop her tears. "Why did you do it? Why?"
The Justicar took Enid by the hand and lifted her from slavery. "Because you never leave your people behind. Ever."
A deep boom came from the barricade as Thoth's minions broke down the shelves. Enid looked longingly at her friends, then bowed her head and turned away.
"I can't leave. I'm part of this place now."
"Ha! No way." Escalla perched atop her friend's feathery head. "We made you a new body! Cloned it off your tail. We've got it in the portable hole. All we have to do is get you in there, read the spell, and you're back as good as new! So let's blow this joint!"
"A clone?" Enid was agog. "Just how much trouble have I put you to?"
"None! Nothing we minded!" The faerie happily shoveled priceless scrolls into the portable hole. "Well, we had to steal the clone spell from this wizard guy in Greyhawk, then make you a new body at Dad's place, then find the river Mnemos, fight a few evil denizens, avoid a few rampaging armies, then find this place and bust in. Simple!" Escalla finished looting. "Morag! Teleport time! Do your stuff, snake-babe. I think these locals are working into a real rage!"
Morag was there under protest. Escalla had tempted her with booklets of swatches and a roll of plans for Morag's dream home, but the tanar'ri was regretting the deal. Annoyed, the secretary peeked her thin face up into the light.
"Why are you all crying? I don't see what there is to cry about."
"Oh, yes you do." Escalla clicked her fingers. "All right! So now we get into the hole, and you teleport us to our getaway boat a few dozen planes away!"
Morag thrashed her tail.
"No."
The entire party stared.
"No?" Escalla placed a hand on the frost wand tucked beneath her belt.
"I can't. Not in here." Morag sniffed at the air as though it were poison. "This is Thoth's home temple. My magic won't work here. You have to get outside into open air. A garden or a field."
The Justicar grumbled, grabbed Enid by the hand, and led a charge to the far end of the hall. Behind them, the barricades collapsed. The group found a door into a colonnade and raced for the promise of open sky.
As they ran down a vast cascade of marble stairs, Escalla flew happily beside Enid's ear, so happy to have her girlfriend back that she couldn't let her go.
"So how's the food here? What do you afterlife guys eat?"
Enid ran awkwardly, holding up her kilt.
"Pulse."
"Is that a kind of sandwich?"
"Not really." Enid looked back over her shoulder. "Oh, dear."
Striding over the rooftops came Thoth himself, heading straight for the fugitives. As the colossal figure stepped over the colonnade onto the stairs, Escalla looked back and cast one of her oldest, simplest spells.
"Grease!"
"Hey Morag!" The faerie flew merrily onward. "How's that teleport thing coming?"
The tanar'ri grumbled from deep down in the portable hole.
"I'm working on it. Must you always be so pushy?"
From overhead, Thoth sang the song of avenging glory. With his sword in one hand and his scepter of life in the other, the god overstepped the roofs and planted his foot right in the middle of a greasy patch that had suddenly spread over the stairs. Hundreds of feet tall, golden and magnificent, Thoth fell over like a jester treading on a banana peel. Escalla whooped and leaped high into the air.